Your Active Discovery Cruise is waiting to take you on a French river cruise like never before. You’ll enjoy the magnificent and romantic scenery and sights, but you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy activities that speak to your passions and interests, as well. Take a guided hike through Camargue Regional Nature Park and marshland, or join a guided bike ride through the park, keeping an eye out for more than 400 bird species, including pink flamingos. You may otherwise pay a visit to a local oyster farm for an oyster tasting, and learn about oyster farming. Current Journeys Club members and new Avalon Waterways cruisers are welcome to travel on this special departure and take advantage of the added extras we’ve included just for this sailing! Choose from exclusive excursions only being offered for this date including a painting class, hiking, and sightseeing to Etretat. Plus all optional excursions are included at no extra charge, including Versailles and a chance to ascend the Eiffel Tower. We’ve even added an extra port and are sailing all the way to LeHavre on the shores of the English Channel. And, to make it a true celebration, we’ll host a gala dinner on board. Last but not least, there is even an exclusive extension to Mont St. Michel and the Loire Valley offered only on this sailing. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate you, our loyal travelers!

Enjoy a day in Arles to select from Active, Discovery, or Classic tours or activities. You may like to join a guided hike, or take a painting workshop in the style and technique of Vincent van Gogh—whose many paintings captured the light and landscapes of Provence and Arles. Visit the Musée des Arômes et du Parfum, or a take a guided sightseeing tour of Avignon’s sights, including the 14th-century Palace of the Popes. Take a canoe trip on the canyons of the Rhône—the stunning Gorges de l’Ardèche. You might choose a hike through the Natural Reserve of Circque d’Estre, or an unusual excursion for an underground wine tasting with a wine-making expert and cave specialist.

Sail to Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, and take an evening drive for premiere photo opportunities from the hills above the city. During your stay in Lyon, hike the trails, take a culinary walk, or learn to make your own Saucisson brioche in a cooking class par excellence.

You’ll experience the remarkable sights, scenery, and flavors along the Rhône with the Active Discovery included activities and tours that suit you best.

City Highlights

Day 1 Arles (Embarkation): onboard welcome receptionDay 2 Port-Saint-Louis: choice of excursion to a local oyster farm with tasting, or either guided hike or bike tour through the Camargue Regional Natural ParkDay 3 Arles: choice of guided tour in Arles, meet a local bullfighter, or guided hike through the Hell Valley and visit Carrière de Lumières, or painting workshopDay 4 Avignon: choice of guided tour in Avignon, or guided bike tour with wine tasting, or visit the Museum of Aromas and PerfumeDay 5 Viviers: choice of guided canoe trip down the Gorges de l’Ardèche, or guided hike in the Natural Reserve of Cirque d’Estre, or visit lock Bollène and its power plant, or guided speleological excursion with wine tasting in the caves, or visit the Crocodile Farm; evening guided tour of ViviersDay 6 Tain l’hermitage/Tournon–Lyon: choice of rail-bike tour, or guided hike in the vineyards, or guided tour of Tournon, or visit the Valrhona factory and museum; onboard cooking demonstration; evening guided tour of LyonDay 7 Lyon: choice of culinary tour, or Saucisson brioché culinary workshop, or guided hike in Parc de la Tête d’Or Day 8 Lyon (Disembarkation): your vacation ends this morning

Notes

In the event of water level problems or any problems of a technical nature, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or to alter the program.Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change is necessary, a substitute will be offered.Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

PRODUCT_LINE: AVALON-WLY-T1-2019